Obama Not Concerned By Possible Nader Bid

Ralph Nader goes on NBC’s Meet the Press tomorrow morning, stoking speculation that the consumer advocate is gearing up for another presidential bid.

Barack Obama said today during a visit at the Ohio State University Medical Center that he wasn’t terribly concerned about the prospect of a Nader campaign. “I think the job of the Democratic Party is to be so compelling that a few percentage [points] of the vote going to another candidate is not going to make any difference.”

Nader

An email to supporters from Nader’s presidential exploratory committee ticked off a list of issues that have been “pulled off the table by the corporatized political machines in this momentous election year,” including defense budget cuts, opposition to nuclear power, and a single-payer national health insurance system.

Obama responded to criticism from Nader, who has suggested that the Democratic hopeful lacks substance, by noting that Nader has reached out to his campaign. “My sense is that Mr. Nader is somebody who if you don’t listen and adopt all of his policies thinks you’re not substantive,” Obama said, before praising Nader as a “heroic” and “singular figure in American politics.”

The Illinois senator, who has racked up 11 straight primary and caucus wins since Super Tuesday, likened the Democratic race to a prize fight when he was asked if there would have been more pressure on him to quit had he been on the losing end of those 11 contests.

“Yes,” he said. “But look, I’m the challenger, I’m the upstart, I’m the insurgent. She’s the champ. She’s part of the Democratic network in Washington, and if you’re the title holder … you gotta be knocked out.”

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